Hangzhou Xixi Investment & Development Co., Ltd.: An International Tourism Complex Rooted in the Cultural Heritage of Xixi Waterways
Javier Pioz
Release time:
2019-10-20
Founder and Chief Designer of the Spanish architectural firm C&P International, a world-class master of architectural design. He is dedicated to creating iconic buildings, with a design style that is both flexible and versatile, emphasizing local characteristics as well as environmental protection and energy efficiency. His signature works include the renowned “Bionic Tower” skyscraper—a structural system that reaches an astonishing height of 1,228 meters. Currently, he is responsible for the design of a standalone, ownership-based hotel within Xixi Paradise. His primary design philosophy: drawing inspiration from plants, where buildings are envisioned as flowers or leaves gently falling to the ground, seamlessly blending with nature. The design uses five teacup-shaped structures to subtly evoke Hangzhou’s identity as the “City of Tea.”
Founder and Chief Designer of the Spanish C&P International Architectural Design Firm, a world-class master of architectural design. He is dedicated to creating iconic buildings, with a flexible and versatile design style that emphasizes local characteristics as well as environmental protection and energy efficiency. His representative works include the renowned “Bionic Tower” skyscraper—a structural system that reaches an astonishing height of 1,228 meters.
Currently, I am responsible for the design of a standalone ownership-based hotel within Xixi Paradise.
Main Design Concept:
The design takes plants as its inspiration, with the architecture resembling flowers or leaves gently falling to the ground, seamlessly blending with nature. The design uses five teacup-shaped buildings to subtly evoke Hangzhou’s identity as the “City of Tea.” Each of the five small structures varies in height and scale, creating a soft, fluid, and friendly atmosphere that feels intimately connected to the natural world. A glass-covered promenade links the five “teacup-like” buildings, much like the branches of a plant; the undulating terrain surrounding the buildings symbolizes Hangzhou’s rolling hills, while the five small structures appear as plants nurtured and growing within the soil. Perched atop these rolling hills is a beautiful garden, complete with covered walkways leading to the buildings, as well as walking paths, a swimming pool, and various leisure spaces—all harmoniously integrated into the landscape.
“Water” is the protagonist; at the heart of the architecture lies a terraced garden that echoes the wetlands, while five “teacup-like small structures” stand out, with water bodies and undulating gardens symbolizing Hangzhou’s hills and lakes, respectively.
The cylindrical forms of the five small buildings, along with their sloping glass curtain walls at the top, create a unique sense of space. The five cylinders reflect one another through the glass curtain walls, evoking both aesthetic beauty and a dynamic sense of movement. The building’s green roof, with its smooth, flowing curves, seamlessly integrates this distinctive geometric form.
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